Channel-forming apparatus for telephone and the like cables



Nov. 26, 1929. J. A. KIRBY CHANNEL FORMING APPARATUS FOR TELEPfiONE ANDTHE LIKE CABLES Filed July 1, 1926 35 FILLS.

Fla-tented Nov. 26, 1929 JOSEPH ANNING KIR BY, F WYNDHAM, SOUTHLAND, NEWZEALAND CHANNEL-FORMING ArPAnATcs FOR- TELEPHONE AND THE LIKE GABLESApplication filed July 1, 1926. Serial 1%. 119,964..

applied to the front carriage of the apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a side elevation showing a slight modification of the centreplate and centre plate beam shown in Figure 1, a portion of the lengthof the plate bar having been cut away.

Figure 5 is a plan View of Figure 4.

There is what might be termed a centre plate 1, fashioned to form afissure or nar- I 5 row breach, the said plate having preferably threesides, designated the base 2, which is the bottom of the plate, andwhich forms the bed in the fissure for themetal duct or cable 3, anentering edge 4 of which projects forward and enters the ground to cleara channel for the metal duct or cable 3, and atrailing edge 5 whichprojects rearwards of the apparatus to deposit the metal duct or cable 3in the bottom of the channel. Inan alternative design, the centre plate1 is com posed of two members 1A and 1B adapted to be separatelyconstructed and hinged together as at 6, for the purpose of facilitatinglaying operations on bends and sharp turns. The hinge 6 is inclined sothat when the apparatus makes a turn, the rear lower point of the rearpart will tend to lift out of the ground and greatly reduce the frictionwith the earth, thereby facilitating the turning movement.

The base 2 is fitted with a renewable shoe 7, suitably constructed toform a channel for the metal duct or cable 3. The entering edge 4 isnecessarily sharp, the plate increasing in width towards the trailingedge 5 and being constructed preferably of sheet metal reinforced with asuitable hardwood packing, such as blue gum, a space between the sheetmetal being formed; the said space increasing. in width from the brokenindication line L.

at 8 to the trailing edge 5 providing a passage for the metal duct orcable 3 during the operation of laying.

In order to reduce to a minimum frictional resistance, when layingcable, caused by the metal duct 3 sliding within the casing at thetrailing edge 5, a small roller 9 .is disposed -within the said casingat a point near its lower extremity.

There is a centre plate dragging beam, which may comprise a sheet metalplate sheathing member 10 for housing a suitable hard timberreinforcement 11, which is in length preferably less than the metalplate sheathing member 10. The whole is suitably braced by. bolts orrivets 12 and the said centre plate member 1 is made secure at one endby similar means. The opposite end 13 of the said centre plate beam isprovided with suitable straps 13A for attaching it to the forecarriage'of the apparatus. V

There is achassis 14 constructed preferably from channel and angle iron,suitably braced with wooden beams and flooring. There is what might beconveniently termed a fore and rear carriage, the fore carriageconsisting'of two su1tably' dimensioned road wheels 15 mounted on anaxle 16 braced by efficient bolsters and straps 17 and 18 respectively,and

adapted to pivot freely on the chassis 14 as pivotally at 18 to provideforsteering. A threaded screw 19 is adapted to fit a correspondinginternally threaded hole19A fashioned in the centre plate beam straps13A, the top end of the said screw being checked to ,a smaller diameteras indicated by the broken linesat 20', and is adapted to fit thevertical bearing bracket 20A secured by bolts to the'front end of thechassis 14, the said screwis rendered operable by means of the handwheel21, the lower end of the said threadedscrew being checked to a smallerdiameter, where it is in engagement with the top surface of the bracket22 secured to the bottom bolster 1'7 toraise and lower the centre plate1 as as: described above.

required. There are suitable means provided for coupling the apparatusto a tractor, this consti uting a V shaped bar member 23, secured at itsfree ends 24 to the bottom bolster 17 by means of the straps 25. Twoshackles are connected together by means of the bar 27, one shacklebeing pivotally mounted on the straps 13A, whilethe other is mounted atthe end of a slotted plate 28. A bolt 29 is adapted to support the Vshaped member 23 at its centre portion, the said bolt passing th roughthe slot in the said slotted plate member 28 to tl c .lidable therein.

lhe rear carriagecomprises two road wheels 30 of larger diameter thanthose of the fore carriage, the wheelface being preferably wider in thiscase. The said wheels 30 are mounted on an axle 31 secured suitably tothe chassis 14 at a point near the opposits end thereof.

There is a strong metal frame 82 mounted on the chassis frame 1 1, and aworm wheel men red on the top thereof to rotate with a vertical axis.There is a threaded spmdle 34, having at its topmost extremity a hearingbracket 35. A hand wheel 36 is mounted on'a horizontal spindle supportedin brackets on the frame 32, and a worm keyed to the said spindleengages the worm wheel 33 to turn it on application of pressure to thehand wheel to raise and lower the threaded spindle 34. There are twosuch brackets, one mounted on each side of the chassis, and the bearingbrackets 35 are adapted to receive 35 the aide 3 A. of the reel 38 onwhich is wound the metal duct 3. r i

In order to prevent chafing of the said metal duct or cable 3, whileentering the up- )er end of the metal sheathing at the trails cable tobe laid, an inclined hinge connection between the rear edge of theforward'part and thefront edge of the rear part, a shoe earned by eachpart and detachably connected thereto, said shoe being adaptedto form apassage in the ground below the upper surface thereof into which thecable passing through said channel is adapted to be laid, a groundengaging means for supporting the channel forming apparatus, and meanswhereby the channel forming apparatus may be adjusted relative to theground engaging means ror var in the cuttin de 3th of such aaparatus.

' In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification atDunedin, New ldealand, this 23d day of April, 1926.

JOSEPH ANNING KIRBY.

ing edge 5, a guide block is introduced, and

may consist of two rope sheaves or rollers 39 mounted pivotally at anangle ad gacent each other; and secured either to the centre plate 101'the chassis 14.- to guide the metal duct or cable 3 while being unwoundfrom the reel 38 when the apparatus is in operation.

'In. operation the said centre plate 1 is first sunk-into the ground ata depth at which it is desired to lay the cable, the maximum depththereof being governed by the rear axle :31, the cable having previouslybeen passed through the passage along the trailing edge cable. 3 is madefast bysuitable means, at the end where it emerges from the'saidpassage,

and the tractor started in the forward direction, theicable unwindingfrom the reel automat cally to be deposited in the channel formed by thecentre plate 1; r

W hat'I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

comprising a channel forming member includzing two ndependent partsconnected for hori- The free end of the.

